The batters have to start better – Brathwaite

Windies skipper against Bangladesh in Chattogram, Kraigg Brathwaite, has placed the blame for the team’s first-Test loss to Bangladesh squarely on poor batting.

The visitors from the Caribbean were bowled out for 139 in their second innings after chasing a target of just 204, despite a valliant ninth-wicket stand between Sunil Ambris, 43, and Jomel Warrican, 41.

The two scored 63 runs but were still well short of the total.

“The key is partnerships, whether the top or middle order. We didn’t get partnerships early, so it cost us,” said Brathwaite.

For things to change in the second Test, Brathwaite explained that getting started was key for the visitors.

“The batters have to start better. We have to get bigger totals. I think they got 40 runs too many in the first innings. If we could have limited their first innings score, it could have been better,” said Brathwaite.

The skipper was referring to the 324 Bangladesh posted after they recovered from 235-7.

Despite scoring too many in that first innings, the Windies should have been able to get close or score more heavily than the hosts but found only Shimron Hetmyer, 63, and Shane Dowrich, 63 as well, willing to spend any time at the crease.

After routing the Bangladeshis for 125 in the second innings, Brathwaite would have expected more from his unit.

“We didn’t play ourselves as well as we should or could. We didn’t put up any good partnership. We lost wickets too quickly. The ball was doing a lot more in the pitch,” he said. (www.sportsmaxtv.com)